Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa is preparing to welcome golfers, spectators and leisure guests as The 154th Open returns to Royal Birkdale in Southport this week.
The Open Championship week takes place from July 12-19, with tournament play from July 16-19. As one of the biggest sporting events in the world, The Open will bring a huge amount of attention to Southport and the north west of England.
For Formby Hall, which is located just four miles from Royal Birkdale, The Open’s return is a timely moment as it celebrates its 30-year anniversary. The resort is set in the heart of England’s Golf Coast and gives visitors a base close to the action while offering its own golf, spa, hospitality and accommodation facilities.
At the centre of Formby Hall is The Old Course, a par-72 layout measuring 7,010 yards from the championship tees. Designed by Dave Thomas and opened in 1996, it is a serious test, with USGA-specification greens, strong drainage, year-round playability and water influencing play on 17 of the 18 holes. The course has hosted professional events on both the European Challenge Tour and the EuroPro Tour, giving visiting golfers the chance to play a course with proven tournament credentials while The Open is in town.
For guests who want a shorter round, a practice session or a more relaxed game, Woodhey Dunes represents another side of Formby Hall’s golf offering. The 9-hole, par-3 course is a links-style PGA course, with riveted pot bunkers, rolling contours, strategically placed water features and the ever-present influence of the wind. Its 2nd hole, an island green inspired by the 17th at TPC Sawgrass, is one of the resort’s most memorable challenges.
Formby Hall is also one of the UK’s first select PGA Academy venues. Guests have access to PGA coaching professionals, a Toptracer driving range, short-game facilities and coaching programmes for different ages and abilities. For visiting golfers, it gives the trip a useful extra layer: play, practise your links game, book professional-level coaching, then enjoy dining, swimming and a night’s stay without leaving the resort.
Spending the week as a spectator at the Open Championship can be full-on, even for the keenest golf fan. Formby Hall’s wider offer gives guests space to slow the pace, with four-star accommodation, spa and wellness facilities, food and drink, and options for couples, families, corporate groups and golf societies to shape the stay around their own plans.
“Hosting a sporting event on this world-class level brings a real energy to Southport and its position in the heart of the wider Golf Coast. At Formby Hall, guests can enjoy that golf atmosphere while also having space to play, practise and relax,” said David Goscombe, Golf Director at Formby Hall.